From appearance this is a vegetable-tanned leather, whether it has a clear finish, we have to test if the leather is absorbent or non-absorbent.
>>> The leather is quite hard and cracked in places,
Vegetable-leather is very thirsty for faliquor (fat and oil), the tannery specification for such leather is about 14% of fat and oil content. As the fatliquor content diminishes through 100 years of age it is already too dry. That is why it is quite hard and cracked in places.
>>> and I was looking for a way to recondition it to bring it back to being softer and usable again.
Before conditioning, the surface has to be clean of surface soiling otherwise with uneven absorption of fatliquor may appear blotchy. As the leather is subject to body contact, I would recommend degreasing of body oil, grease, and sweat with Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system and while wet continues with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.
>>> I was worried about buying normal leather conditioners and I wasn’t sure of this would be the best thing for antique leather - any guidance
You must ask what is “normal leather conditioners” and there are various conditioners and sure if you do not know what your leather is and what the conditioner can do, you will not get what you want.
>>> what might be the best way to recondition the leather without damaging it or changing the colour too much would be really appreciated!
If you are talking about “structural” reconditioning, then we must follow the original principle of softening the leather from the tannery. In the tannery process in India and worldwide, softening the leather structure for suppleness is through the fatliquoring process. Since this leather is already made into a three-dimensional bag, we have to take a similar fatliquoring principle and improvise from there, from an immersion system into a non-immersion system. Before fat and oil can be deposited into the leather structure fiber system to lubricate all the connecting fiber to soften its flex, it must first be hydrated with Hydrator-3.3, until all the stick together fibers separates and opens up prior to introducing Fatliquor-5.0 into the fiber structure system, well the fiber system looks exactly like the reverse suede side.
>>> the best way to recondition the leather without damaging it
If to soften up the leather, the conditioner needs to lubricate the suede fibers, so if any conditioner that is not recommended for suede will certainly damage or denature the leather (reverse of leather is suede).
>>> Ideally I’d like to be able to keep it as close as possible to it’s original condition.
All vegetable-tanned leathers will darken under sunlight just like our skin. Sweat, body grease, and oil contacts will also darken it, to restore close to its original appearance may need a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction with VachettaBrowningRemover-2.8.
Products mentioned can be found in this Vacchetta Leather Grease Darkening Effect Remover Kit-V4
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/vachetta-leather-grease-darkening-effect-remover-kit-v4/
9925
Let me know what you think?
9924
Roger Koh
Leather, Skin, Hair, Eye & Acne Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email:
[email protected]